What's the catch with DirectBuy?

[tk2kewl]

:shrug: I am going to check it out this weekend but I don't have any idea what to expect. :shrug:

Any DirectBuy members here?

[sinkingfeeling]

1. No, but I believe there is a 'membership' fee.

[SharonAnn]

14. Stay away from them! $3,000 + and They have hidden charges (8%+) and don't provide

anything you can't get by comparison shopping. They say that they can get you things for x% of the regular retail price. Most stores will sell you those things close to the same % and by shopping you can do even better. Keep in mind that they won't give you a chance to verify what they tell you before you must make a decision.

They deliver to their local warehouse/showroom and you have to pay to have items delivered from there. That can be a significant extra cost.

The manufacturers ship when they have a full load for that area, so you might be waiting quite a while before you receive what you've ordered and paid for.

When you attend, they will tell you have to decide that moment whether to sign up or not. If you don't sign up that night you can't come back later. This is a dead giveaway that it's a rip-off. Most states have a 3-day? cancellation law that you can cancel anything like this within 72 hours by following a set procedure. If you get pressured into it (and they are extremely high pressure) know your options ahead of time about quick cancellation.

Here are some good sites for reference:
www.thesqueakywheel.com/complaints/2006/FEB/complaint8257.cfm
http://edumacation/DirectBuyComplaintStation32405

Basically, what I'm saying is "RUN! RUN AWAY!!!"

[Virginia Dare]

2. I'm curious about that too...

usually if something sounds too good to be true....

[RebelOne]

3. Check out their Web site

http://www.directbuy.com/

[tk2kewl]

4. I have...

It doesn't mention what "membership" entails

[LonelyLRLiberal]

5. I've been to their sales pitch.

Your local Direct Buy is a franchise. They'll give you a hard sell about "this is a one-time shot to sign up," etc. Don't know if that is true or not.

They have many catalogs and some floor samples of things like cabinets, flooring, windows, etc. They let me check prices on a few items, and prices are good. However, the membership fee they quoted me was about $3,600 for three years or $100 a month if you finance, so you need to know you are going to be doing some major buying just to recoup the membership fee.

I suggest you really consider what you definitely will be buying during a two to three year period to make sure it will be worth it. I think the benefit is that you can get wholesale (supposedly) prices anytime, rather than having to find a sale at a retailer.

You are not allowed to use a membership to buy for someone else. You also have to keep in mind that you will be paying shipping and taxes and there will be a delay in getting the item. You have to arrange for delivery to your home or office because items are shipped to the Direct Buy showroom.

[cynatnite]

6. Thanks for the info...

won't be shopping there.

[Henryman]

7. the hard sell

A few years ago my neighbor and I were doing some yard work and he mentioned that he and his wife got an invitation to Direct Buy and they had an appointment that afternoon. I told him I thought it was a scam. He said he was going to check it out anyway. I suggested he go but not bring a checkbook or credit cards and he agreed. The next day I asked about the appointment and he went right into the selling rhetoric. They brought the credit cards, signed up for a $4000 fee and have not bought one thing in 4 years.

[tk2kewl]

9. I figured as much...

My wife and are building a new house this year, so it may be worth it. But boy do I hate hard sell tactics. If they act like assholes I will likely just walk out.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

8. Don't Go. It's A High Pressure Scam That Is Not Worth The Gas Nor Your Time.

The only caveat would be if you expect to do upgrades to your home that would reach above 20 grand or so. But in the absence of that, it is worthless and you will more than likely lose money.

There are message boards online dedicated to exposing their tactics, so I'd recommend doing a google search and reading up on some of others experiences.

[tk2kewl]

10. I will check out some of those message boards.

I will be spending a lot over the next year since my wife and I are buying a new house. But I knew something was up with this whole "invitation" thing.

[in_cog_ni_to]

11. There is a membership fee. My friend and her husband just joined a few months ago.

She didn't tell me how much it cost to join, but she did say it was very expensive (they can afford it, they're rich), but worth the price for what you save IF building a home from scratch...which was what their plan was. My guess is it's in the thousands of dollars to join. They have everything. Appliances, furniture, flooring, siding, roofing...everything you need to build/furnish a home. ALL the Name brands. You go there, look through their books/stock?, choose what you want and YOU have to pick the stuff up, I THINK. You also have to find your own contractors for things like flooring.

Her example to me was a $4000 oven that you could buy for $2000 *cough*cough. It sounds like the membership fee is fair IF you plan on doing a LOT of work on your home or are building a home or are replacing all your furniture and appliances. She made it sound like it would be expensive if all you needed to do was replace a stove or needed a new bed.

[tk2kewl]

12. Thanks

My wife and I will be building a new home and we are looking at ways to cut cost for the stuff that we will have to supply to the builder (i.e. cabinets, appliances, flooring, plumbing and lighting fixtures, etc.)

[in_cog_ni_to]

13. In that case, that's the place to go. n/t

[SharonAnn]

15. No, if you check their prices against other suppliers, you'll do just as well

without them.

Don't take their word for it! They lie!

If you're going to remodel your kitchen, for example, you can work with a supplier and get good prices on all the appliance and/or cabinets you need, get things delivered to your home, and get them delivered when you want them.

[elehhhhna]

16. Investigate their lead time and delivery process VERY CAREFULLY.

Please.

New construction is all about scheduling material deliveries properly. It can make or break the amount of time you're under construction.

[tk2kewl]

17. I will definitely check them out thoroghly. I have been doing quite a bit

of research for doing my own purchasing online. I will not be signing up for anything the day of my "invitation" regardless of their pitch. My wife and I have made a pact on that.